Conventionally, there has been known a plate-like or sheet-like connection object called FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) or FFC (Flexible Flat Cable). Further, various techniques have been proposed for obtaining a predetermined connection by operating an actuator after inserting this kind of connection object (see, e.g. Patent Document 1: JP-A-2006-128018).
Referring to FIG. 1, a technique entitled “Connector” as disclosed in Patent Document 1 will be briefly explained.
A flexible board connector 1 comprises a housing 2, contacts 3, and an actuator 4. Each contact 3 has a fixing portion 3a fixed to the housing 2, a movable portion 3b, and a connecting portion 3c connecting the movable portion 3b to the fixing portion 3a to make the movable portion 3b movable. The movable portion 3b has a recess 3d and a contact point 3e facing each other. The housing 2 has a wall portion 2a disposed between the recesses 3d and the contact points 3e. The actuator 4 has a camshaft 4a disposed in the recesses 3d. Although not clarified in Patent Document 1, the housing 2 and the actuator 4 may be made of the same kind of material such as plastic.
The actuator 4 is set in an open state shown in FIG. 1(a) and then an FPC 5 is inserted between the wall portion 2a and the contacts 3e as shown in FIG. 1(b). In this open state, a force required for insertion of the FPC 5 can be designed to be substantially zero. Thereafter, the actuator 4 is rotated in a clockwise direction so as to be set in a closed state shown in FIG. 1(c). While the actuator 4 is rotated, a cam operating portion (although not given a reference symbol in FIG. 1 quoted from Patent Document 1, a portion which serves as a cam on the side opposite to the side where the actuator 4 is operated by a finger) of the actuator 4 is rotated on the wall portion 2a to raise the movable portions 3b. As a result, the contact points 3e are pressed onto the FPC 5 so that the FPC 5 is electrically connected to the contacts 3.
As described above, the insertion of the FPC 5 is easy and, further, by the simple operation of rotating the actuator 4, the predetermined connection can be obtained.